thebearnest's review
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide and Suicidal thoughts
amittaizero's review
3.0
I knew nothing about Perry going into the book, and her arguments seemed at first to be wide-ranging and disconnected from each other. Connecting the book to her personal history, however, ties it together much more effectively. She settles into a kind of absurdism: we are here, we want meaning but can't have it without making it ourselves -- she deviates here from absurdism by choosing not to make meaning, or be part of a story -- living instead in an "epilogue." Maybe a third way between herself and Camus.
I certainly can't consider myself an antinatalist. It's an unrealistic philosophy that ultimately shrugs its shoulders and lives in impossibility.
I certainly can't consider myself an antinatalist. It's an unrealistic philosophy that ultimately shrugs its shoulders and lives in impossibility.
kalle_b's review
4.0
Thoroughly enjoyed reading a more well thought out rationalisation of my own views. Author is weirdly sexist at points though.
lilsuccubus's review
1.0
I went into this book very excited, but ultimately, the organization and writing were downright awful. This book reads more like a Twitter thread or an incompetent undergrad's paper than a book. When I read at the end that Perry is a housewife and this is her first book, it all made more sense. I'm hopeful I can find some better books on the topic, not this disorganized drivel.
ptrmsschrs's review
4.0
excellent introduction to suicide and antinatalism
Before I had finished this book, I thought it was written by a Professor in philosophy or ethics from some fancy University. Imagine my surprise when the author turns out to be "a housewife in San Antonio, Texas". Apparently she has a blog too, which, I'm sorry to say, I haven't read yet.
The author's credentials aside, this is an excellent introduction to the ethical side of suicide and creating new life. I was particularly impressed with Mrs. Perry's arguments pro-suicide, which doesn't mean that we shouldn't help people who are in emotional or physical pain, but which does allow each individual the decision about the value (meaning, happiness, or whatever you like to call it) of their own lives and if a person decides it would be better for him/her to end life, then society should provide the means for it. I realize that this isn't a particularly popular idea, but it is definitely worth thinking about. And the author certainly gives us plenty of things to think about.
P.S. But please change that hideous cover of the book (a painting by the late Dr. Kevorkian).
Before I had finished this book, I thought it was written by a Professor in philosophy or ethics from some fancy University. Imagine my surprise when the author turns out to be "a housewife in San Antonio, Texas". Apparently she has a blog too, which, I'm sorry to say, I haven't read yet.
The author's credentials aside, this is an excellent introduction to the ethical side of suicide and creating new life. I was particularly impressed with Mrs. Perry's arguments pro-suicide, which doesn't mean that we shouldn't help people who are in emotional or physical pain, but which does allow each individual the decision about the value (meaning, happiness, or whatever you like to call it) of their own lives and if a person decides it would be better for him/her to end life, then society should provide the means for it. I realize that this isn't a particularly popular idea, but it is definitely worth thinking about. And the author certainly gives us plenty of things to think about.
P.S. But please change that hideous cover of the book (a painting by the late Dr. Kevorkian).
david_nash's review
3.0
Interesting ideas, but the writing is a little dry, and they're not tied together particularly well.
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